Tropical Wilds
The Command considers us a bunch of losers.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
In July of 2013 (July 24th 2013, to be exact) I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. In October, I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme, and shortly after running the Wine and Dine Half, I was diagnosed with antibiotic resistant degenerative Lyme Disease. I've watched over the months as my health went into a complete free-fall.
The day before I was diagnosed, I ran a 10k, though I felt "funny." By that weekend, I was bedridden, unable to get out of bed. I went from 12 minute miles on long runs, to struggling to maintain 16 minutes on short runs. I've watched my mind go along with it, unable to remember things, using wrong words, speaking in gibberish. My life has been turned upside down.
I'm fighting, and most days I think I'm winning. Some days, I know I'm not.
The point of this post isn't to support me, because I'm lucky and I have an incredible support system. The point of this post is to help others. People don't really talk a lot about Lyme, and when they do, sometimes you hear everything from "invented condition" to "imaginary symptoms." For those of us who have it and struggle with it, it's devastating to hear people say things like that.
A lot of people seem to not understand it or what it does, or not realize that it has such a profound effect on people, which creates an opportunity for people to learn what it really means to have Lyme, but more importantly, to become advocates, even if not for everybody with the illness, but for those in their circle who're struggling and don't know how to (or are too afraid to) ask for help.
I've shared what it's like to have an active Lyme flare-up on my blog. For those who want to understand what it's like to cope with Lyme, or want to know maybe how those around them who have it struggle so that you know how to help them, I ask you to give it a read. So many people need help... An estimated 300,000 new cases are diagnosed each year... And if I can even be a small advocate for people, I'd like to take that opportunity.
The day before I was diagnosed, I ran a 10k, though I felt "funny." By that weekend, I was bedridden, unable to get out of bed. I went from 12 minute miles on long runs, to struggling to maintain 16 minutes on short runs. I've watched my mind go along with it, unable to remember things, using wrong words, speaking in gibberish. My life has been turned upside down.
I'm fighting, and most days I think I'm winning. Some days, I know I'm not.
The point of this post isn't to support me, because I'm lucky and I have an incredible support system. The point of this post is to help others. People don't really talk a lot about Lyme, and when they do, sometimes you hear everything from "invented condition" to "imaginary symptoms." For those of us who have it and struggle with it, it's devastating to hear people say things like that.
A lot of people seem to not understand it or what it does, or not realize that it has such a profound effect on people, which creates an opportunity for people to learn what it really means to have Lyme, but more importantly, to become advocates, even if not for everybody with the illness, but for those in their circle who're struggling and don't know how to (or are too afraid to) ask for help.
I've shared what it's like to have an active Lyme flare-up on my blog. For those who want to understand what it's like to cope with Lyme, or want to know maybe how those around them who have it struggle so that you know how to help them, I ask you to give it a read. So many people need help... An estimated 300,000 new cases are diagnosed each year... And if I can even be a small advocate for people, I'd like to take that opportunity.
